Quinn Shelt wanted to make a difference in her community.
As Miss Augusta, she thought she’d have that opportunity, but she had no idea she’d make as much of an impact as she feels she has.
“I see myself making a difference. It’s been just an amazing year (so far),” said the Grovetown High and University of Georgia graduate who represented Augusta in the Miss Georgia Pageant in June.
She’s also volunteered some, but not as much as she said she’d like, at the Jud C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care as well as working behind the scenes on two fundraisers related to Alzheimer’s. Plus, she’s onboarding for training to become a community educator.
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Shelt has spent the past few months attending events and bringing attention to her social impact platform of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“I’m not just showing up and appearing at things. I try to volunteer when I can,” said Shelt, who helped out at Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival recently.
The first event Shelt has planned is set for Oct. 22, and it’s called “An Evening of Augusta Appreciation.”
“I wanted to promote my love of Augusta,” she said.
Shelt recently attended a program called Hope in Times of Hate sponsored by the Augusta Jewish Museum, and it sparked the idea.
“They talked about the way to stand up to all the bad stuff was through kindness and hope and to focus on the good,” she said.
The Oct. 22 program will focus on the good things going on in Augusta, she added.
The speaker will be Venus Morris Griffin, the Augusta single mother of seven, author, award-winning real estate agent and national motivational speaker. The story of her marriage to a man who a led double life went viral through the website “Humans of New York.”
Tickets are $10 for the event that is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at the 600 Broad Building. Proceeds will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.
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For tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-of-augusta-appreciation-tickets-405005370967
She’s also helping plan the Walk to End Alzheimer’s which is scheduled for Nov. 5 at Evans Towne Center Park.
“I have a Miss Augusta team with my sisters and a couple of friends” in addition to serving on the planning committee, she said.
Shelt’s year as Miss Augusta also coincides with the gap year she’s taking between her recent University of Georgia graduation and law school.
In September, she’s worked on an internship with the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office, and she’s been preparing her law school applications. She hopes to have another internship in the public defender’s office.
“I’m so glad I took this year,” she said.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
